A Silent Evening
by Ichihime
Summary: A collection of short stories. Mostly NaruxMai. T for safety.
1. 1: A Silent Evening

Disclaimer: I do not own Ghost Hunt. In my dreams though...

A Silent Evening

* * *

Mai fumbled with her documents while she watched Naru out of the corner of her eye. He had just come in and now he was taking off his dark coat. Mai concentrated on her documents again while waiting for Naru to come over to her.

As she expected he came and stood in front of her.

"Mai, tea," was all he said. He didn't ask for it nicely and Mai didn't expect him to.

She stood up and caught his eyes for a moment before replying: "Hai, hai," and going for the kitchen.

While Mai was making the tea, Naru went over to the window and glanced out of it. It was raining outside and the people still out on the streets was running for cover. He felt a trickle of cold water in his neck and he noticed that his hair was soaking wet.

Turning away from the window he went into the bathroom and did his best in drying his hair. He had no desire whatsoever to catch a cold, and so he spent some minutes on getting his hair as dry as possible.

When he got out of the bathroom he noticed that Mai was sitting in one of the sofas, drinking a cup of tea. On the other side of the table was another cup of tea, still warm. Instead of taking the cup with him to his office as he usually did, Naru sat down in the sofa opposite of Mai and reached for his tea.

He and Mai continued to sit silently while they drank their tea and watched the rain pour down outside. Both of them completely comfortable with sitting in an undisturbed silence.

It was one of the evenings were talking too much would have disturbed the distant harmony of the rain and the peaceful silence that was forming inside of the Shibuya Pshycic Research office.

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Might not be my best work, but neither the worst. Please review and tell me what you think.


	2. 2: Rain and trees

Rain and trees

* * *

Mai ran in the direction of the house in hope of reaching it before the rain started to fall. The sky was grey and the color of the clouds were showing that it would rain hard. Mai could hear Naru panting a little beside her. Despite being intelligent and handsome Naru missed some points in the physical area. Mai guessed that that was what came out of sitting in a chair most of the day.

Just as the road took a sharp turn, revealing the house a mile ahead of them, the rain started pouring down. Naru took Mais hand and dragged her with him under an old tree that stood a little off the road. They both sat down, regaining their breath and cursing themselves for not leaving earlier.

Mai took of her jacket and tried to get some of the water out of it. After a while she gave up on the idea and hung it on a branch so that it could at least try to dry. She sat down again and put her hands around her knees.

It was cold. She felt herself shivering and goosebumps covered her arms and foots and made her aware of the fact. Without a word Naru handed her his, waterproof, jacket. She accepted it and nodded a small thanks.

Naru stood beside her, watching as the rain fell and seemingly calming himself. She knew that it really was her fault. Hadn't she insisted on stopping at the shopping mall to buy some food they would have been there a long time ago. They would have been busy with researching and exorcising the ghosts and Mai would eventually do something stupid and they would have a short quarrel.

Mai was sure that Bou-san and Lin-san would start to get worried soon. But in this weather and without a car they would probably wait a little longer. Mai sighed. Apparently loud enough for Naru to hear since he turned his head and looked down on her.

"Seems like we are stuck here," Mai commented dumbly. She knew she stated the obvious, but she lacked other things to say.

"Yes, so it seems," Naru answered with his arrogant voice.

"Um... Sorry. This is my fault," Mai apologized with a low voice.

"Yes, it is."

Mai blinked. _Wouldn't you normally reassure the person in fault that it really isn't a big deal or something like that?_

"It was you who needed something in the town. Not me. So all in all it's your fault too!" Arguing wasn't really what they should be doing now. She knew that, but that bastard...

"Well, yes. But who was it that was using so much time on looking for things we didn't even need?"

"Well, that's true, but..." Mai didn't know how to continue.

"But...?" Naru looked at her expecting something more.

"Forget it. The rain has almost stopped. Let's go." She didn't really have any energy to spare on arguing with him. No matter what they argued about, little changed because of it. It looked like Naru also felt that way.

Naru gave her a hand and she got up. She took down her jacket and handed Naru his jacket. Naru took the jacket and started to go.

"I'm not planning on waiting for you, Mai."

"No need to. It's not like I want you to wait!"

Mai went after Naru and stubbornly walked fast towards the house without giving him a single glance.


	3. 3: A question

A question

* * *

"Mai, what do you think of me?"

Mai turned around in the grass and looked at Narus cold face. He had closed his eyes and waited silently for the answer.

"Wha...What do you mean?" Mai wasn't sure what to answer. This wasn't like Naru at all. Normally he didn't care for what other people thought of him. But Naru just opened his eyes slightly before closing them again.

"Exactly what I said."

Mai turned to look at the stars again, pondering about what she should say.

"Um... Well, you're a narcissist and... You're smart, handsome and a little too full of pride. You are arrogant and, normally, you don't care about what other people say."

_And he's kind and sometimes nice. Cares about others. Or at least that's what I've heard. And I like him. _She blushed at the last thought. She shook her head, trying to think about something else.

"Why do you ask?," she said. She looked at his face. He still kept it completely blank, hiding whatever he was thinking in his mind.

"No reason." He sat up againts the tree, opening his eyes and looking up at the stars. Mai did the same, but she stole a glance at him while he thought she wasn't watching. She could swear that she had seen a smile there.

* * *

AN: Ever wondered if Naru can read Mais thoughts? Well, poor Mai if he can. Oh, and this story is a little ooc.


	4. 4: Blanket

Blanket

* * *

Naru got out of his chair and went into the main room of the Shibuya Psychic Research office. He looked around to see if Mai was still there. She had said earlier that she would wait untill the rain stopped before going home. Seeing as it still rained, and hard at that, it didn't seem likely that she had already gone home. He looked to the door and then one meter to the left of it. Her jacket was still here.

He was about to call out to her when he heard the sounds of soft snoring. He turned towards the sound. It came from the sofa. In it, Mai was lying, sleeping while still holding onto the documents she had been reading through before she fell asleep. He walked a little closer, looking at the sleeping Mai, unsure if he should wake her or not. A glance to the window told him that it still rained.

Deciding that Mai could sleep a little longer Naru continued to stand in front of her, watching her breath in and out. Her stomach moving rythmically up and down. One of her hands hanging down from the sofa. She looked so peaceful when she was sleeping. Her face like a childs. So innocent.

Naru, finally aware of his thoughts, moved a few steps backwards and desperately tried to think of something else. A blanket. Yes, he could find a blanket so that Mai wouldn't freeze. He knew that Lin kept one at the office. Going to Lins office he looked after the blanket and finally found it under his desk. He took it with him and laid it loosely over Mai.

Noticing that she moved quite a bit when she slept he started to tuck her in. Mai started to turn around and he took a quick step back. When she lay still again he turned around and slowly went back to his office. He noticed that he was smiling softly.

He quickly changed his expression into his usual cold one and sat down. Leaning back in his chair, he found that he was smiling again. This time he let it be.

It wasn't like anyone was watching.

* * *

Hm, I almost forgot about this... I'll have to remind myself to write more...

Please read and review. ;)


	5. 5:Bedridden

Bedridden

* * *

She walked briskly through the corridors, trying not to worry too much. After all, everything had always ended well before. But... This was the real world and they were not always blessed with happy endings. She was sure that Naru would say, in one of his more talkactive moments, that happy endings belonged in fairy tales and only there. If they even existed. 

When she was still a little girl she had loved happy endings. Each time she heard a fairy tale she always looked forward to the happy ending. She was expecting it. However, once, when it didn't come she had cried and refused to listen to any more stories. She didn't like feeling sad.

Inside of her there was a turmoil of feelings threatening to pour forth. She was scared, worried and feeling guilty. If she hadn't... He wouldn't have... Why did she always need help? Why did she always attract trouble?

She had known, deep down, that one day somebody would get hurt because of it. It was one of the things she didn't like to admit. She had been in denial. But now it had happened and she didn't know what to do. If he died... She wouldn't be able to bear it.

By now she was running towards his room, not realizing nor caring that she shouldn't run in a hospital. As she neared the door a chinese man stepped outside and looked at her with an expressionless face.

"Is he okay?" She nearly started crying there and then, but she held her tears.

"Yes." He stared at her for a few moments, taking notice of her relieved expression. "I'm going home. Good night, Mai-san."

And then he walked down the hallway leaving her behind.

The moment he turned his back warm tears started trailing down her cheeks before dropping onto the ground below. Everything she had been holding back came out at once. She turned and opened the door to Naru's room. Closing it once inside, she leaned back against it and started sobbing.

She was happy. He was okay. He wouldn't die. They wouldn't... Wouldn't what? She didn't know, except, she had really started liking her job. All the people she met... Lin... Even Naru. They were part of her life now.

She walked to the chair beside the bed and slumped into it. She gazed at Naru's face. Even when he was asleep he didn't look peaceful. He just looked like... Naru. Nothing else than himself. The arrogant, silent Naru. The one annoying the life out of her. If she had lost him...

But he was still here and so was she. Her eyes started dropping as she tried to find a more comfortable position.

'_I'm sorry, Naru...'_

* * *


	6. 6: Paperwork

Paperwork

* * *

"Naru!," Mai called as she opened the office door and peered inside. "Here's your tea."

She set the cup down beside a remarkable pile of paper.

"I didn't ask for tea," he remarked at the same time as he was sipping it. "Are you done with the paperwork yet?"

"And here I thought I could be nice...," she mumbled.

"What was that?"

"Nothing. And you're not done with yours either."

"At least I'm working on it."

"I was going to do it right now," she mumbled angrily. "Ungrateful jerk of a boss..."

"Did you say something?"

She could swear that there was a barely visible smirk on his lips. If she looked closely she might have been able to imagine an amused glint in his eyes, but she doubted that her boss could be interested in something so trivial. After all, he seemed to think that he was above everyone else in importance, so what should her words count for? Nothing. After all, she was just the assistant.

"Did you hear anything?" Mai replied with innocent eyes and a small smile, fake of course. "I didn't. Oh, look at the time! I better get started on my paperwork."

She walked out and slammed the door close. She didn't care what he might think about it. He dared to imply that she didn't do her work, did he? She would show him and make him regret that thought. She was better than he thought!

She took her own cup of tea and slumped down in front of the paperwork. It really wasn't that much. Five reports or so. A couple of hours and she would be done. It was just the thought of doing it that held her back. She didn't want to. It was boring and she would rather do something exciting. But she also wanted to show Naru that she could do her job.

Sighing in resignation, she picked up her pen and the first report. Paperwork really wasn't her thing.

Some hours later she collapsed in one of the sofas, happy that she was finally done. She looked out of the window into the dark night and wondered what had ever possessed her to do it all in one go. She really didn't want to walk home now. It was too late and it wasn't like anyone was waiting for her. She was alone.

Well, Naru was still here. At least, she hadn't heard him leaving. He was probably to engrossed in his paperwork to look at the clock or something. Perhaps she should make sure that he actually knew the time.

She yawned as she got up and walked to his door. She considered knocking, but quickly decided that she didn't need too. He had never told her to.

"Naru...," she called softly as she stepped into his office.

He was sleeping, head on his papers and arms laying protectively around them. No emotion flittered across his face as he slept, breathing in and out deeply. She noted absently that he neither drooled or snored when he slept, not that she had expected him too. She contemplated waking him briefly, just to see his annoyed face for a moment before he started to annoy her. She decided against it.

She could after all just stay in the office with him. The sofa was comfortable enough at least. Naru could sleep at his desk and in the morning she could tease him for falling asleep. She yawned. After she slept herself, of course.

On reflex she walked into Lin's office and snatched two blankets, the second one the Chinese man had bought after the first one disappeared for a while. She walked back to Naru and dropped it into his lap. After a moment of arguing with herself, she took the blanket and secured it around him, but only because she didn't want him to catch a cold which would no doubt make him insufferable.

She returned to the sofa and laid down with the blanket around her. She felt safe and content as she lay in the dark and almost empty Shibuya Phsycic Research office.

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End file.
